#bathnature — Public Fediverse posts

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) at Priston, near Bath. Adults and larvae both eat other insects. The larvae live under bark - I photographed one a few weeks ago (look back through my previous posts). This species is uncommon in western Britain, but I have found it a few times around Bath, usually around large deciduous tree stumps.
#Nature #Wildlife #Beetle #Insects #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BathNature

Some insects seen on the outskirts of Bath yesterday - Dark-edged Bee-fly, Dotted Bee-fly, Holly Blue and Peacock butterflies.
#Nature #Wildlife #Insects #Butterflies #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BathNature

A very muddy Violet Ground Beetle (Carabus violaceus) I found under a stone in Priston, near #Bath #Somerset #UK.
#Nature #Wildlife #BathNature #Beetle #Insect #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography

My Robin friend Little Mate singing this afternoon. The most important thing to a Robin is its territory, and he keeps it by singing regularly around the boundaries of it in order to let all the other Robins know that it belon gs to him. Meanwhile, I have seen his mate Willow searching for potential nesting sites in the territory.
In #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife

A surprising find today - the larva of a Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea), under the bark of a log in a log pile at Newton St Loe, near #Bath today. The beetle is widespread, but not common. I have only ever found 3 adults before. The larva can be told from the more common Red-headed Cardinal by the absence of lateral teeth of the spines at the rear. I'm very pleased with this find! #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #insect #beetle

My #Robin friend Little Mate taking a snack this evening. We had a good chat and then he had his very important singing to do.
In #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife

Goldcrest - the smallest bird in Britain (along with the similar Firecrest). I watched this tiny bird foraging in a willow tree for a good 20 minutes. They rarely ever stay still, so photographing them is a real challenge, especially on a cloudy February day. I've never noticed their orange feet before.
In #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife #birdphotography

My Robin friend Little Mate singing today. Nesting season is not far off! In #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife

My Robin friend Little Mate today. He's very chatty at the moment. Breeding season isn't far off, and he's spending most of his time singing, chasing off rivals and turning down potential mates - he already has one and seems happy with her. In #Bath #Somerset #UK. #nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife #birds

Scarlet Elf Cup, brightening up the woodland floors around Newton St Loe right now. Near #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

A happy new year to all my followers, from me and my #Robin friends Little Mate and Blackberry. Looking forward to showing you all much more of the amazing wildlife & landscape history in & around #Bath this year!
#Somerset #nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #ukwildlife #birdphotography

A very late Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus) at Newton St Loe, near #Bath #Somerset #UK, growing at the side of an ancient holloway.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) at Bath City Farm #Bath #Somerset #UK. Grows on dead wood, usually Elder. Found all year, especially abundant in the winter months & found in most woods in Bath
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

Glistening Ink Cap (Coprinellus micaceus) growing by a tree stump in Twerton, #Bath #Somerset #UK. The fruiting bodies often last less than a day before shrivelling to an inky mess.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

It's National Robin Day here in the UK, so here's a photo of my lovely Robin friend Little Mate. He has just got himself a new girlfriend, who was no doubt impressed by his beautiful singing! In #Bath #Somerset #UK.
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #BirdsOfMastodon #NationalRobinDay #Robin

Great Tit preening - birds need to keep their feathers in good condition & preen themselves regularly. Preening involves spreading oil, removing dust & parasites, & repositioning displaced feathers
In #Bath #Somerset #UK
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AVMh05a4inA
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird

Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes) on a dead elm tree in Seven Acre Wood, Newton St Loe, near #Bath #Somerset #UK. This species is unusual in that it can survive freezing temperatures.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

Hanging out with my Robin friend, Little Mate. He's very chatty at the moment and doing a lot of singing. Competition for territory is high, and he's had to chase off a few rival Robins lately. #Bath #Somerset #UK
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #birdsOfMastodon
https://youtube.com/shorts/qilXpfznIB0?feature=share

Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata). I found this on my front door in #Bath #Somerset #UK. One of the few winter-active moths. This is a male, females have very tiny wings and cannot fly
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #insect #moth #UKmoths #TeamMoth

Brown Cup (Rutstroemia firma) at Claverton Down, #Bath #Somerset #UK - usually found on fallen oak branches.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset #FediFungus

An unusual find on a recent outing of the Bath Fungi Group - Spongy Mazegill Somion occarium (syn. Spongipellis delectans) at Claverton Down #Bath #Somerset #UK, found on the end of a large Beech log.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom

Inky Mushroom (Agaricus moelleri) at Bath City Farm #Bath #Somerset #UK. These are found in most years under the Beeches in the wood on the farm and are fairly common in other woods around Bath, usually in small groups.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset

Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex) in #Bath #Somerset #UK. These come up in the same spot in most years. The spore sac releases a small puff of spores whenever a raindrop hits the sac
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset

Only a few species in the moth trap today at Bath City Farm #Bath #Somerset #UK
1. Mottled Umber
2. Rusty Dot Pearl
3. December Moth
4. Another Mottled Umber
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #insect #moth #UKmoths #TeamMoth

One of the oysterling mushrooms (several very similar species) on a twig in a wood in Newton St Loe, near #Bath #Somerset #UK.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset

A late Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes) at Newton St Loe, near #Bath #Somerset #UK.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset

My Robin friend Little Mate chatting. He's busy singing to defend his territory at the moment, and occasionally chasing off intruding Robins, but loves to stop and have a chat and a snack when I come along in the mornings.
In #Bath #Somerset #UK.
#nature #wildlife #ukwildlife #bathnature #bird #birdsong #birdsOfMastodon

Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum) at Newton St Loe, near #Bath #Somerset #UK. This fungus was found on a large oak log in a wood.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom #BathSomerset

Jackdaw at #Bath #Somerset #UK. A highly intelligent bird capable of tool-use & exploiting new feeding opportunities, and is a highly social species with complex social interactions & hierarchies
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #bird #birdphotography #ukwildlife #bathnature

Peppery Roundhead (Stropharia pseudocyanea) at Ubley Warren, Somerset. One of several very similar species, but this one has a distinct smell of peppercorn.
#nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #ukwildlife #bathnature #fungi #mushroom